By Rismadarvoice Reporters
January 3, 2026
New York City’s newly inaugurated mayor Zohran Mamdani is winning praise from Palestinian rights advocates while igniting fierce backlash from Israel supporters and political critics after revoking a series of pro Israel municipal decrees within hours of taking office.
On his first day in office Mayor Mamdani America’s largest city’s first Muslim mayor issued an executive order nullifying all executive orders signed by his predecessor Eric Adams after September 26 2024 including high profile measures perceived as supportive of Israel.
Among the rescinded orders were a ban on city officials boycotting or divesting from Israel and the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, definition of antisemitism which had criminalized many forms of anti Israel criticism.
Palestinian advocates and civil liberty groups swiftly applauded the move, framing it as a victory for free speech, a rejection of policies they say suppress dissent on Israeli human rights abuses.
Afaf Nasher, head of the New York chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations described Mamdani’s action as a rejection of an unconstitutional order, restricting the ability of New Yorkers to criticize the Israeli government’s racism or boycott Israel’s human rights abuses.
Nasreen Issa of the Palestine Youth Movement said that Israel and its supporters have long sought to criminalize dissent, and that Mamdani’s revocation was a positive step towards protecting rights and dignity, not just for New Yorkers, but for Palestinians globally.
Critics however denounced the reversal as deeply troubling.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Mamdani of pouring antisemitic gasoline on an open fire, insisting the actions could endanger Jewish communities, undermine efforts to combat hate.
Other Jewish leaders and organizations described the dismantling of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and related policies as a troubling indicator of where the new administration is headed.
While Mamdani’s order scrapped the previous definitions, related to antisemitism and restrictions against boycotts of Israel, he has maintained that his administration will continue the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism and affirmed his commitment towards protecting all communities within New York, including Jewish residents.
The dramatic policy shift comes as Mamdani also pledged during his inauguration to govern audaciously, and to chart a new vision for the diverse city. Supporters of the new mayor argue that rescinding the pro Israel orders reinstates fundamental free speech protections, rejects what they see as efforts to equate criticism of a foreign government with hatred of a people.
As the controversy unfolds, international observers are watching closely with implications extending beyond local politics to broader debates over free speech human rights, and the complex dynamics of Middle East advocacy within the United States political sphere.
